H.—ll

2

from the haunts of vice and misery, would, in the majority of cases, have inevitably become thieves or prostitutes but for the efforts thus put forth for the amelioration of their condition. A considerable amount of public and useful works have been executed by the Reserve Divisions during the past year. In "Waikato the whole of the men that could be spared from station duty have been employed on the Cambridge and Taupo Koad, where fifteen miles have been opened over a. rough country, a large portion of which has been fasciued and well covered with ballast, twenty culverts put in, and ten bridges built, for which the timber was cut by members of the Force. The Napier and Tauranga Road, for a distance of 100 miles, has been kept in repair by the men of the Force stationed at Taupo, except for a short time in March, when, on account of the damage done by the heavy rains and floods, twenty civilians were employed by the District Engineer to assist and enable the roads, then closed, to be opened for traffic in as short a time as possible. In other districts all available men have been employed on the following works : —Making a road between Opotiki and Ormond, improving road between Wairoa and Grisborne, maintaining road between Whakatane and Ohope, repairing roads between Te Kapu and Waikaremoana and Tauranga and Ohincmutu, besides a number of other works. In consequence of all men of the Force who could possibly be spared from station duties having been employed during the past year on road works in the Armed Constabulary districts, the annual course of musketry had to be suspended, and it became necessary to alter the conditions of the competitions for the prizes allotted to the Force out of the sum voted for rifle shooting during the year. Similar amounts had in past years been awarded to the marksmen in the annual course of musketry practice, hut the sum was this year distributed in prizes to be competed for with as little expenditure of time as could be. The result is shown in Table No. 5, and the firing may, I think, be considered good. As regards the competition for colonial prizes, I would observe that the Force was at a great disadvantage, from the fact that the reduction I have referred to took place immediately before the colonial firing, and very few members of the Force went to the meeting as compared with former years ; nevertheless, these succeeded in obtaining a fair amount of prizes. The detectives have experienced more than average success in the detection of all serious cases of crime reported. In conclusion, it gives me pleasure to state that the officers, non-commissioned officers, and constables have displayed very commendable zeal in their efforts to preserve the peace and good order of the colony, and, by their generally careful attention to their duties, together with their respectable demeanour and conduct, have aided much to raise the Police Force in the estimation of the public. I have, &c, W. Motile, Lieut.-Colonel, The Hon. the Native Minister, Wellington. Commissioner, A. C. Force.

Table No. 1. RETURN showing the MONTHLY STRENGTH of the ARMED CONTABULARY FORCE, from 1st June, 1876, to 30th June, 1877.

ITS. Nw i-coi imissi ioned Officere. Hoi •ees. Year. Month. B q c I I •gig J ■S H - 1 I a 1 I I —I 2 ■■/' I s I 3 o 5 o s QQ ! to I 6 a H a ■ 1 I s C3 o -13 r-1 1 I o CO 3 Q Q <N I CD 1 I ■ es O I | CD S3 5 1—1 bo" I u I o I R tn 5 CO I V Q p J3 i a i m I i t u T. in 3 00 I 1876 June 11 16 8 2 8 33 42 549 676 76 36 10 122 July 16 2 9 30 40 525 648 76 36 10 122 )) August ... 16 2 10 29 42 516 641 77 34 10 121 September li, 2 10 29 42 514 639 79 34 10 123 )> October ... 16 2 10 28 41 509 631 79 34 10 123 )) November 1.-, 1 10 29 41 496 617 77 34 j 10 121 December L6 1 10 30 41 489 611 76 34 [ 10 120 1877 January ... 15 1 10 28 41 462 582 70 33 6 109 f) February V2 1 7 29 31 406 496 28 51 10 89 i) March \-J 1 6 29 31 398 4S7 46 29 10 85 )} April 1] 1 4 19 21 307 370 29 41 10 80 )} May 1!) 16 8 57 46 11 ■1. 5 2 625 799 159 38 9 200 )> June 9 56 46 12 4 6 1 614 788 160 38 9 207 1! 15